Model and Strategy
Advance Peace interrupts gun violence in U.S. urban neighborhoods by providing transformational opportunity to young men involved in lethal firearm offenses and placing them in a high-touch, personalized Fellowship. By working with and supporting a targeted group of individuals at the core of firearm hostilities who have also avoided the reach of law enforcement, Advance Peace saves lives and reduces the life-altering trauma experienced by both people living and working in the impacted communities, including law enforcement.
Advance Peace also bridges the vast gap between anti-violence programming and this hard-to-reach population – individuals who are most resistant to change, chronically unresponsive to services and distrustful of public health supports – thus breaking the cycle of gun hostilities and altering the trajectory of these men's lives.
Impact
The Advance Peace Peacemaker Fellowship was developed over several years of experimenting with what worked to reduce gun violence in Richmond California by 71% between 2008-2016. Experience demonstrated that the most effective strategies to reduce gun violence were those that were seen as attractive and also interpreted as being credible and legitimate from the lens of the targeted audience – the active firearm offender. Strategies that allow the suspected offender to develop healthy and stable long-term relationships with healthy, trustworthy and committed individuals/program staff who have a high emotional intelligence IQ has proven to be critical for success and achieving optimal outcomes. Experience also showed that the most effective strategies included working with the targeted audience to develop and support longer term life plans, incorporating inter-generational mentoring and provide travel opportunities outside of the home neighborhoods to expand horizons and build relationships with antagonistic rivals. Providing program incentives – conditional monetary allowances to participants have proven to support stabilizing chaotic lives.
In Richmond California, over a 6-year period, the Peacemaker Fellowship was offered to 114 lethal offenders. 92 individuals accepted the invitation to participate in the Fellowship. 84 of these individuals remained engaged. Over four 18-month Fellowship cohorts with 84 Fellows: 94% remain alive; 83% have not been injured by a firearm and 77% are not a suspect in a new firearm crime since becoming a Fellow.
Leadership
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DeVone Boggan
Founder & CEO